I Obtained Sword God Level Talent - Chapter 85



84 – 084. Heroic Indulgence (2)

“I do.”

……Huh? She does?

Maria said it without even a moment’s hesitation. Naturally, I couldn’t help but give her a puzzled look.

“Frey-nim is like a shining star in the night sky. Isn’t it only natural for a human to yearn for such a dazzling existence?”

Maria’s expressionless, yet unwavering gaze focused on me.

A faint blush colored her cheeks. It felt like Maria’s subtly sweet breath was tickling my face, sitting across from her.

“Of course, the word ‘like’ has a rather ambiguous nature. I also do not have a clear conviction.”

Maria’s voice continued. I couldn’t easily open my mouth. I could only wear a blank expression at her sudden declaration.

“It’s just. I find myself always thinking about Frey-nim. And I want to take care of Frey-nim. The… elixir Tristan stole was also meant for you.”

“Is… that so? But why were you going to give me the elixir?”

“Because I wanted Frey-nim to reach the 8th Circle as soon as possible. Contrary to my expectations, Frey-nim achieved the 8th Circle so quickly that I was surprised.”

……She wanted me to reach the 8th Circle? What benefit would my becoming stronger bring her?

“Lady Maria, is there any benefit for me in becoming stronger?”

I voiced my honest feelings.

‘Really, you’re not looking for a son-in-law or anything, are you?’

I was already well aware that Maria held some affection for me. The things she’d been showing, the way she looked at me like a junior, were crystal clear.

But, how should I put it… my common sense, the information I had on the ＜Silvering＞ character, was all rejecting and pushing away the answer that was forming.

‘No way, that Maria Theresia… ＜Sword Saint of Light＞.’

No matter how much I thought about it, it was an excessive delusion. Regaining my composure, I faced her head-on.

There, Maria’s blue eyes were staring at me, with an impassive gaze.

“Of course there is.”

Maria spoke with a tone of certainty.

“The object on Frey’s finger.”

“Ah, this ring?”

“Yes. Frey, do you know about that ring?”

…Do I know about this ring?

‘Of course I know.’

Its name was… the heirloom of a nameless boy. Its grade was legendary, and its options were a cheat-level item with boosts to all stats and increased experience gain.

Lastly, it had a setting that it was a relic of the founder of the Northern Archduke family, the Britzhart family.

“Well, I know a little bit. Isn’t it an object used by the founder of the Archduke family?”

“Half right, and half wrong.”

Faintly, very slightly. It felt like the corners of Maria’s lips were forming a curve. And it wasn’t just my imagination, as she continued speaking in a slightly higher tone.

“That silver ring, the heirloom of the Britzharts, is something the founder gave to their beloved.”

“……Huh?”

“I gave that ring to Frey.”

Wait, was that a setting attached to it?

It was a fact that had never once been revealed in the ＜Northern Archduke＞ route, which involved Kajimae’s Archduke and the subjugation of the north. Naturally, my mouth slowly gaped open.

“The ring was a gift from my father when I was a child. He told me to give it to my match, if I ever found one.”

Her forceful confession… or should I call it a declaration?

At the same time, I lost my words. All I could do was let out strange exclamations like ‘Um, oh, ah, yeah’ with a blank face.

‘I didn’t expect her to bring it up like this.’

……Honestly.

I never thought, in all my life, I’d hear a confession like this.

I was almost embarrassed, expecting the usual ‘it’s normal for a senior to like a junior’ type of thing. The thought felt completely out of place now.

“So, um, does this mean… is this a proposal?”

“That is correct.”

Wow, it really is.

Without meaning to, I felt like my mind was drifting. Stay calm, get a hold of yourself. This isn’t a dream. Looking like an idiot isn’t my style.

Just as I was about to say something, Maria beat me to it.

“…I’m aware, ‘A hero is a womanizer,’ and that many women will be drawn to you, Frey.”

“Huh?”

Out of the blue?

Well, looking at the guild alone, yeah, the women are all gorgeous. But I see Geum Ha-rin and Chun Hwa-young more like little sisters, not potential partners.

…Besides, Chun Hwa-young’s been having a weird vibe with Friedrich lately.

“I think you’ve got the wrong idea. I’m actually not very popular.”

“…I think *that* is the misunderstanding.”

Maria frowned, looking like something was frustrating her. As if something was too difficult to start, she paused for a bit before speaking.

“Anyway. I don’t intend to make you the Grand Duke’s son-in-law. Just, allowing me to stay by your side…”

From noble mtl dot com

“FREEEEEEEEEEY────!!!!!”

KWAhhhaaaNG──!

Maria couldn’t finish her sentence.

The reason was simple. The door of the reception room was kicked open, and all the guild members, including Ariel, came flooding in.

“…?”

Maria’s expression returned to her usual blank state. Their sudden appearance was too much; I couldn’t hide my bewilderment as I asked,

“What? What the hell’s going on?”

Everyone who had barged into the reception room had a different look than usual.

“It’s a disaster, Frey! We got an emergency report that something happened in the Northern Empire!”

FLAP!

It was Lancelot who shouted. He strode towards me, who was sitting on a chair, and thrust a piece of paper that looked like a newspaper.

“The Northern Empire? That’s so random…”

I took the newspaper, thinking that. And as soon as I began to read the article on the front page.

“…A rift? A rift… opened?”

Even I was shocked by the news plastered across the front page.

The content was stark: a ‘rift’ from another dimension had opened in the forests near the Papal State, in the northern reaches of the Empire.

“Yeah, the problem is the sheer scale of the monsters pouring out of that rift!”

“……This is some goddamn bullshit.”

Lancelot’s voice was my backdrop as I read the paper, my face twisting in frustration.

“An unforeseen fissure appeared, and nearby villages have been completely devastated!”

“It doesn’t end there, Brother, the Papal See is also reportedly under siege!”

Lancelot and Friedrich were practically spitting their words. Everyone’s urgency was palpable; things were clearly spiraling fast.

‘That’s it, right? Is this when the *Silver Ring* scenario kicks off?’

My eyes, hard and fixed on the newspaper, settled on a certainty.

This was an event from *Silver Ring*.

The sudden appearance of a dimensional rift, and the tens upon tens of thousands of monsters erupting from it.

But there was a problem.

‘That’s supposed to happen way past the early part, around the midpoint, isn’t it…?’

My head swam with confusion, trying to make sense of it.

The main storyline of *Silver Ring*… the very beginning of the main scenario, flowed rather peacefully, in a sense.

The main focus should’ve been the story surrounding the emergence of a massive island, connecting the West and East Continents, previously only accessible by sea.

‘Did the story… get ‘skipped’? Or did the sequence of the scenario go all topsy-turvy?’

Whatever the case, one thing was clear: there was no time to be sitting around in the guild hall.

*Swoosh.*

I stood up, my expression set, and uttered,

“Grab your gear. We’re leaving now.”

It was a gut feeling, but somehow, I was certain this situation was linked to the incident at the Western border.

“A-alright!”

“I’ll get ready as fast as I can!”

“I-I’ll pack my things too…!”

The guild members, pouring into the reception room, vanished in a flurry of responses.

“……”

“……”

It was like the aftermath of a sudden downpour. Maria and I were left alone in the reception room again, an awkward silence between us.

“I understand Lady Maria’s feelings well.”

I said, scratching the back of my head awkwardly.

Maria Theresia von Britzhart.

She’s quite the character. No, not a character, a very unique person.

Shining golden hair, eyes like a lake. And lastly… talent so outlandish for her age.

Let’s be honest. I’m a man too. Is there any reason why I, as a man, would refuse Maria?

“However, I think it’s necessary to postpone giving you an answer for a while.”

“…I agree.”

Maria, her words trailing off, was taking and reading the newspaper I had just offered, her gaze intense.

Surely, she doesn’t hate the ‘monster’ mentioned in that newspaper, does she?

* * *

An event has occurred at the western border that proves, beyond doubt, that ‘someone’ with the power of God, capable of shaking the world, intervened.

‘They were able to move this quickly.’

Immediately after the news broke of a ‘rift’ to hell opening near the Papal States, the Emperor issued mobilization orders to knight orders, magic towers, and nobles across the country.

Compared to the Western Border incident, the speed of this response was jaw-dropping.

“Our first request is something like this. I don’t know if I should like it or not.”

Sitting in the carriage, Geum Harin shook her head. At her words, I asked with a puzzled face.

“You’re not even an official guild member, yet you’re acting strangely serious?”

“Hmph! Foolish words. Just because I’m not an official guild member doesn’t mean I’ll be careless with my work.”

…Well, Geum Harin always had that kind of personality anyway.

Anyways.

An immeasurable monster has emerged within the Empire. Therefore, while the Imperial family is rapidly gathering the forces of knight orders and nobles, they have also issued high-paying expedition requests to new guilds.

Of course, our Round Table was also included among those ‘guilds’.

Therefore, we were urgently commandeering a carriage and rushing north. Yet, for some reason, despite being shocked by the sudden event, my heart was strangely calm.

‘Roughly, our combat power is…’

One 8th circle mage.

One 7th circle mage.

Two 6th circle mages, and one 5th circle mage.

One Saint-level priestess, the wielder of ＜Divinity＞.

And finally.

” ‘Since Maria is moving with us too.’ “

Her fighting power was far, far beyond ordinary. With this kind of power, they could easily tear apart even the high-ranking knight orders of the Western continent, or the massive sects of the Eastern continent.

…

..

.

Our journey North came to a halt several days later. By some coincidence, we came face-to-face with Imperial troops clashing against a massive monster horde.

“T-there are really, horribly many of them.”

*Swish!*

Cheon Hwa-yeong, having drawn her sword, muttered in a daze.

Indeed, just as she said, we could see an endless wave of monsters stretching across the horizon in the distance.

Clang! Clatter! Clang!

The battle between the monsters and the Imperial troops was fierce. The Imperial knights and mages were putting on a show of great strength, but…

*Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!*

The problem was the sheer number of enemies. At a rough glance, there were well over a thousand. It was something that ordinary knights and mages could not dare to face easily.

But.

That monster horde was exceptionally unlucky.

…Because, unfortunately for them, they had run into us.

*Swoosh─!*

I draw my sword. A clear sound rings out, and the sharp blade glints coldly.

And so.

“Everyone, begin the attack.”

The debut of the newly formed guild ‘Round Table,’ with its insane level of power, had begun.